On the Ellipse, just steps from the White House, thousands of fans gathered on Saturday night for the ceremonial weigh-in of UFC Freedom 250 — and they made their feelings clear. Canadian fighter Aiemann Zahabi was booed. France’s Ciryl Gane was booed. Even Spanish-Georgian Ilia Topuria received a hostile reception. Only Brazilian Alex Pereira, making his heavyweight debut at 261lb, earned cheers, the lone foreign fighter to escape the crowd’s wrath.
Joe Rogan, hosting the event, admitted he “screwed up” when he announced the wrong athlete. But the most memorable moment of the morning weigh-in belonged to controversial heavyweight Josh Hokit, who pretended to be sick. “So what? I was drinking,” said the American, who will face Donald Trump’s favourite fighter Derrick Lewis on the South Lawn on Sunday — a contest personally requested by the US president.
“Foreign fighters booed at White House UFC weigh-in as Joe Rogan blunders and Josh Hokit feigns sickness.”
All 14 fighters from the seven scheduled fights successfully made weight. Interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, aiming to win the undisputed belt at the third time of asking, weighed in at 155lb alongside Topuria, the undefeated undisputed champion. “I was absolutely made for this s*** right here,” Gaethje said. “I am blessed to be in this position that I am, and I will take his 0 from him tomorrow. You watch.” Topuria, looking as confident as ever, told the crowd: “Joe, since I was a kid, I always heard this word called the ‘American dream’… Tomorrow we’re gonna live the American dream. I’m gonna get 18-0 and in fashion.” He later revealed he is so relaxed because “in my mind, I’ve already lived” the White House fight.
The weigh-in came ahead of Sunday’s unprecedented fight card on the South Lawn, where 85,000 fans — given free tickets — will watch the action on big screens at the Ellipse. Diego Lopes, set to fight Steve Garcia at featherweight, also weighed in as the backup fighter for the lightweight-title main event. Ciryl Gane, who will face Pereira for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event, weighed 248lb. “Thank you, UFC, I’m really glad, really happy to fight at the White House and against Alex Pereira,” Gane said. “Fresh blood at heavyweight…”
Fans who braved the Ellipse will be treated to more than fighting: a concert from the Zac Brown Band is scheduled later in the evening. But the boos that rained down on foreign fighters underscored the politically charged atmosphere of a controversial card taking place on a Sunday at the seat of American power.